The 2019 offseason is formally right here, which suggests the Lions are all-in on the hunt for cornerbacks.
And so a little bit of information from Tuesday should have caught their eye: The Falcons produced prolonged-time commencing cornerback Robert Alford, a participant Matt Patricia is familiar with from experiencing him in his final Super Bowl gain in New England.
Alford, 30, has started each and every video game for the Falcons about the past five decades. However, he’s coming off his worst year, surrendering 7 touchdowns with zero interceptions as section of Atlanta’s 27th-ranked move defense. Because of $8.5 million this year, he just wasn’t value bringing back again on the latest deal, however he is predicted to have a current market in a coverage-starved league that can now negotiate any cost it would like.
Alford provides some remarkable experience. He has 10 interceptions and two defensive scores enjoying largely as a No. 2 cornerback to Desmond Trufant. He took about best coverage obligations in the Super Bowl against the Patriots, when he picked off a Tom Brady move and returned it 82 yards for a touchdown.
That participate in will be in the minds of Lions coaches as they just take a glance at Alford and gauge their interest. They have a apparent need at the No. 2 cornerback spot opposite Darius Slay now that Teez Tabor is not doing work out. They also need to increase playmaking to a secondary that intercepted much more passes than just a single other NFL staff.
Slay has currently discovered a small of what he thinks of Alford:
No way🤦🏾♂️ https://t.co/r5SPL9WkQz
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Darius Slay (@_bigplayslay23) February 5, 2019
The Falcons evidently bought into Alford back again when he was a 2nd-spherical decide on out of Southeast Louisiana and they rewarded him with a 4-calendar year, $38 million agreement. He did not live up to the costly later decades on the deal, but contracts inspire players in some cases, and major types can make some complacent.
Some players also terribly need a fresh commence, particularly with a placement that rides on confidence like cornerback does. Richard Sherman turned in a robust year for the 49ers this calendar year right after ultimately leaving Seattle to obtain new do the job at the age of 30.
The Lions are set to have all-around $50 million in cap place this spring, and cornerback is as major of a need on the roster as any. Maybe they should go for a thing more youthful or better than Alford, who is growing old and is not on a excellent trajectory.
Or probably he’s just a piece in a larger sized approach for the No. 2 cornerback spot. That is probably a much more real looking chance because a 5 toes 10 inches and 186 lbs ., Alford is not really the thick, physical style Patricia likes in his No. 2 cornerback spot.
Either way, the Lions will be exhausting all solutions to obtain a suited replacement right here. Patricia’s defense is constructed on elite coverage major to the move rush much more than it is the other way all-around. Detroit did not have ample of it in his 1st year, and the device done predictably.
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